Princes Are Always Just Out of Reach
by entity9silvergen
Summary: He was everything she wanted and it hurt to find out he was also everything she couldn't have. But where Marinette can't have a boyfriend in Roman Agreste, she finds a friend in Remus. [CROSSOVER: Sanders Sides and Miraculous Ladybug] [Oneshot][Disclaimer: I own nothing]


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Miraculous or Sanders Sides

**Author's Note:** For some reason, my brain decided suffering the flu and writer's block at the same time was the perfect time to write fight scenes and romance for two fandoms I haven't really written for in the past. There isn't nearly enough Sanders Sides/ Miraculous crossovers as there should be and I know this isn't really the site to do it so this is being crossposted on ao3 where I plan on posting Sanders Sides stuff in the future. Hope you enjoy this story.

* * *

Paris. The City of Light. Millions of Parsinians walked the streets beside thousands of tourists each day. It was a city of unique charm and beauty. It's architecture tied the past and the present, the streets were filled with the scent of fresh bread, and the people had a rich culture. It was a crossroads where the whole world came together to build something intricate and amazing.

But more people knew Paris as the City of Love.

How many couples met in Paris? How many people fell in love just wandering the streets? How many people have proposed in one of these restaurants or gotten married in one of these magnificent churches? How many people sealed their relationship with a lock on a bridge? The number was high and unobtainable.

But one thing was certain. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was not one of those people.

"Why is he so perfect?" Marinette cried as she dramatically threw herself onto the pink sheets covering her bed, narrowly avoiding hitting her friends Juleka and Rose. Rose patted her back while Juleka moved over to give the two more room.

"Girl, you got it bad," Ayla sighed, shaking her head. Alix snorted from where she was draped over the back of a desk chair and muttered something under her breath.

"You're at, like, an eleven right now," Alix spoke up with a loose hand gesture. "I need you to dial it down to a three."

"Hush," Mylene whispered. "It's about time she finally told us she likes him."

"It was super obvious though," Juleka mumbled with hint of amusement in her eye.

"Wait, really?" Marinette sat up abruptly and clasped Juleka's hands, startling her friend. "How obvious? Who knows? Oh my gosh, does he know?"

Ayla took Marinette's hands and guided her away from Juleka before she could scare the poor girl. "Marinette, you have pictures of him taped all over your room. On every surface. They're everywhere. A blind rat could tell how hard you're crushing on him."

"Yeah," Marinette whined. "But-"

"Where did you even get all of these?" Alix questioned, peeling a picture off the chair she was sitting on.

"He's a model," Mylene pointed out. "Couldn't have been that difficult."

"He also has a brother that he models with ninety percent of the time. Did you cut him out of these things?" Alix asked before shaking her head. "Nevermind, I don't want to know wh- wait. Why do you only have pictures of Roman? Remus is his identical twin. I know you're into Roman but it's not like you can tell the difference between them."

"You can totally tell the difference," Marinette said, getting up and plucking the picture out of Alix's hand. She spun around the room with a rare display of fluidity and grace. When she stopped, she held the picture close to her chest and gazed at the stunning image of Roman Agreste. Shining auburn hair, those warm yet piercing brown eyes, that signature Agreste sharpness to his facial features, his lean yet sturdy build, the way he rocked that red letterman jacket he loved so much… It was more than enough to make a girl go head over heels. "I mean, I guess they look the same but I don't like Roman just because he's so pretty. He's nice and sweet and he's just so amazing. He's everyth-"

"Okay, we get it," Alix groaned. She propped her elbows up on the back of the chair. "So what do you want us to do?"

Marinette snapped out of her rambling. "What?"

"Come on, we're not dense."

"You want help telling him how you feel," Rose concluded, palming a fist.

Marinette spluttered. "What? Why would I want to tell him that? I'm perfectly fine just being his friend and him never finding out that I lo- Do you think I have a chance?"

Rose nodded enthusiastically. "Of course!"

"If anyone does, it's you Marinette," Mylene added.

"Someone's gotta do it," Alix commented.

"We'll help however we can," Juleka spoke up.

Ayla put her hands on Marinette's shoulders and smiled. "It's about time you got your man."

* * *

Over the next couple weeks, dozens of plans were scrawled out and dozens of plans were crumpled up and tossed into the trash can.

Ideas for love letters and gifts were thrown aside. Dreams of carriages and confessions were abandoned. Plots of both deception and honesty were forgotten. The group had endless ideas but none of them managed to stick and by the time the third week rolled around, Marinette was starting to lose hope that she'd find the courage to do this at all when the time came.

"Tikki, what do I do?" Marinette groaned into her pillow once her friends left her home for the third night in a row. The kwami circled her a few times before sitting down on the mattress to pat her hair.

"You know what I always say, Marinette," Tikki told her with a small smile. "You should just tell him how you feel. If he feels the same way, you don't need any kind of grand gesture to win him over."

"Yeah but… It's Roman Agreste!" Marinette exclaimed, rolling over onto her back so she was staring up at her pale, white ceiling. "He's… He's the son of one of the most successful men in fashion! He's a model and he plays piano and he's bilingual and he does fencing and he loves theater… He's so confident and kind and- Ugh! He's so much more than me and he knows so many other girls. He'd be more likely to choose Kagami or Chloe or even Lila over me."

"Well, you don't love him for his money or his looks, do you?"

"Of course not!" Marinette cried, sitting up. "I love him because… Because he's got such a warm heart. That time in the rain when he gave me his umbrella, that meant the world to me. And all those times we spent playing video games with Nino and Ayla, they made me so happy. Just sitting near him in class… Wow. He's so much more than an Agreste."

"Then maybe he'll see you for you too."

Marinette sighed and let a smile form on her face. She cupped her hands and let the kwami sit in them. "Thanks Tikki."

"Anytime, Marinette," Tikki said with a nod.

"I still don't know what I'm going to do though."

Tikki looked out the window. "It's not too late yet. Maybe a swing around the city will clear your head."

"Yeah… Yeah," Marinette said and got up. "Good idea, Tikki. Spots on!"

* * *

"Remus!" a high pitched voice whined. "Did you eat all my cheese?"

A russet-haired boy was sprawled out on a messy bed, leaning back against a couple cushions and completely ignoring cat-like creature circling above. He looked up from his book and shot a shit-eating grin upward right at the floating black shape. "Of course not, Plagg."

"You did!" the cat kwami cried and dived down to sit on the teenager's chest. He crossed his arms and glared at him furiously. "You totally ate all my camembert!"

"Nuh-uh! It was Roman!"

"Roman doesn't even like camembert! He thinks it's stinky!"

"And that in itself should tell you he's an untrustworthy person. Anyone who dislikes cheese because it's stinky is a monster and not in a fun way," Remus told his kwami matter-of-factly as he tapped his nose with his index finger. "But seriously, I haven't touched your camembert. I swear. Cat's honor."

"Cats have no honor."

"Well, then I swear on Roman's honor. Princey's got honor, right? Swordsman and all that…" Remus trailed off. He wrinkled his nose and pawed his stomach. It rumbled softly. "Damn, now you've got me wanting some cheese. You sure you ate it all?"

Plagg lashed his tail furiously. "I didn't eat it!"

"I heard you but do you, like, have a secret stash we can raid?"

"My stash is gone too!"

"The audacity!" Remus gasped dramatically, sitting up and knocking his book off his lap and forcing Plagg to resume floating. "I bet Nathalie let the maid come in here and she stole it again."

"What doesn't she understand about the keep out note?" Plagg questioned, flying in tight circles. His little tail lashed angrily and his little face was scrunched up with frustration. If Remus wasn't focused on more important things, he would've taken the time to gush over how cute his kwami looked right now.

"I know, right? She needs to stop cleaning up our stuff," Remus agreed with a nod. He liked being messy, thank you very much. He rolled off his bed, falling onto the ground with a thud. He pulled himself up quickly and cracked his back. "Come on, Plagg. We're going on a cheese run."

"Cheese run? Yes! It's been forever since our last one."

"It's been a week."

"Like I said, forever."

"We normally go once a month."

"Because you're a madman. We need to go at least twice a day. You're rich, Remus. You can afford it."

"Not with how much you eat," Remus responded as he headed for the door. "Lemme just tell Roman we're heading out."

Plagg floated out after him. "You don't need to tell your brother everytime Chat Noir hits the city."

"Yeah but I really hate having to come up with excuses when I get back. Ro-Ro is so much better at lying than me."

"You do suck pretty bad."

"Thank you. I'll be here all night." Remus stopped briefly and spun around to dramatically bow to his kwami. Plagg just snorted and rolled his eyes. Remus shot him another grin and straightened to knock on the nearest door. "Oh Roman! Your dearest brother summons you!"

"Fuck off, Remus!" Roman cried as Remus burst into his room. He was sitting at his desk, a video call open on his computer. Remus crossed the room in a few swift steps and draped himself over his brother's shoulders to get his face into the camera. Roman put a palm to Remus's face and pushed him away. "I don't bust into your room, you don't get to bust into mine."

"You kicked my door down this morning because you wanted me to sing Disney songs with you," Remus deadpanned before brightening and waving at the camera. "Hi Virge!"

A boy with purple hair's image was displayed on the monitor. He looked confused and waved back shyly. "Hey, Remus. What's up?"

"Not much. I was just about to head off on a cheese run and I need my bro to cover for me."

The boy blinked. "Cheese run?"

"Don't question it, V," Roman sighed as he made another half-hearted attempt to push his twin off his back. "It's the middle of the night, Remus."

"It's barely nine."

"You went out last week."

"And I covered for you when you snuck out to meet up with Virge this week. Twice," Remus said pointedly, holding up two fingers in Roman's face.

"You didn't cover for me! You just bribed Gorilla into not telling Nathalie!"

"And it worked! You still owe me!"

"Fine!" Roman groaned, leaning his head back into Remus's shoulder. "If Nath asks, I'll come up with something. Now go before I throw you and Plagg out of my room."

"Psh. You know I'm stronger than you, Princey."

"And I have a sword under my desk. Don't test me, Dukey."

Remus paled and leaned back a bit. "Thanks Ro! Plagg, cl-"

"Don't transform in here!"

"Whatever. I'll just yeet myself out your window and do it out there," Remus said as he withdrew from his brother and ran for the window. "Seeya Virge!"

"See you?" the boy on the monitor said hesitantly as Remus threw himself head first out Roman's window. "Is he always like that?"

"You know it!" Remus called from outside before Roman could respond. He picked himself off the grass and dusted himself off before glancing around in search of his kwami. Plagg appeared beside him almost immediately. Remus held up a ringed hand. "Here we go. Plagg, claws out!"

* * *

_"You totally could've gotten more cheese, you know that right?"_

"Plagg, don't talk to me when I'm in the air," Chat Noir said to open air as he leaped off a rooftop. His staff was in his hand in an instant, extending and hitting the ground to propel him forward. He twisted in the air and moved the staff again to catch himself. "This kind of stuff takes concentration!"

_"There's not really any skill required. It's magic."_

"And you know how much I love defying the laws of magic. Now shut up so I don't look crazy talking to myself."

_"Like looking crazy has ever stopped you before."_

"Shut up, Plagg. I think I see Ladybug swinging around up ahead."

_"Go get her, tiger!"_

Up ahead, a red clad figure could be seen swinging by a thin string and landing on the roof of a two story building that Remus recognized as the local bakery. He smiled to himself and thrust his staff down one last time to launch himself onto the roof beside her. "Hey bugaboo!"

Ladybug shrieked in surprise and jumped back. When her eyes fell on Chat Noir, she put a hand on her chest in relief. "Oh. It's just you Chat Noir. I thought it might be an akuma."

"Akuma? I didn't see any sign of an attack tonight."

"Me neither. Can't be too cautious though, right? What are you doing here, Chat?"

Chat Noir put his staff's tip down on the roof and leaned on the other end. "Plagg ran out of cheese so I went out to get him some. Already dropped it off at home but I knew this bakery leaves its trash bins unlocked so I thought I'd grab a loaf or two to go with it."

Ladybug frowned. "You don't need to steal bread, Chat Noir."

"I know!" Remus exclaimed as his masked face scrunched up with mock offense. "I've swiped bread from inside and left cash on the counter a couple of times but it's so much better eating out of the cans out back, you know?"

She made a face. "You're disgusting, you know that?"

"Why thank you," Chat Noir responded with a wink. He reached out and took her gloved hand, making a show of kissing the back of it. "You know, that means so much coming from you, m'lady."

Remus could've sworn she was blushing ever so slightly when she withdrew her hand from his. "How do you do it?"

"How do I do what?" Chat Noir asked, tucking his staff back into its holster and taking a seat at the edge of the roof. He was sensing a long talk coming his way.

"You're so… smooth."

Chat just kept grinning up at her. "I'd say flattery will get you nowhere but you're making my little bell sing you praises, bugaboo."

Chat flicked the bell below his chin with a clawed finger, letting the ball ring softly. Ladybug giggled just as softly and sat down next to him. "I'm serious here, kitty. Where do you get the confidence? I mean, having superpowers makes everything a bit easier but what you do is just you, not Chat Noir. How do you just… flirt? And so casually?"

Remus looked away from her as his expression hardened with concretion. He rested his chin on the back of his hand as he gazed out at the moonlit city, humming with thought. Paris was quiet tonight. "Paris is beautiful, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah. Of course," Ladybug responded, sounding a bit confused.

"It's a great city."

"What are you getting at, Chat?"

Remus ignored the question. "What do you like the most about it?"

Ladybug paused. Her eyes shifted away from Chat and her gaze joined his. "Well, there's the lights. They look amazing at night. And there are the birds. They don't really fly around this late but you can hear them really well when they do. The sounds they make stand out against the tires and wind. I know a lot of people don't like pigeons but I think they're really pretty. Oh, and there are the people. Parsinians are the best people, aren't they?"

"They really are," Remus said wistfully. He looked over at Ladybug. "It's not hard to say any of that, is it?"

"No. I love Paris," Ladybug told him. "I don't see what this has to do with anything."

"The city is amazing so it's not hard to say it," Remus went on. He smiled at his fellow hero. "That's why it's so easy to flirt with you, m'lady. I'm an honest guy. If I like someone, I let them know. And flirting's just a fun way to do that. You're a great girl, Ladybug. It's really not all that hard to say it because it's true."

"Oh. Um…"

Chat laughed. "Don't worry, I'm not coming onto you. So why were you asking? You having boy trouble?"

Ladybug nodded, attention back on her partner. "Remember when I told you there was a boy?"

"Yeah." Remus remembered that night well. While his advances on Ladybug were never entirely serious, it was that night that let him know that they never would be. He had no idea if he actually liked girls let alone Ladybug enough to pursue a relationship but it was nice to have the option on the table. That night made the boundaries between the two which was kind of a relief. Chat was a flirt but he didn't want to unintentionally mislead anyone, let alone his friend.

"Well, I told my friends I like him and we've been trying to think up a way to tell him," Ladybug explained, wringing her hands. Chat didn't think she was aware of it and gently placed a hand over hers for a moment to silently tell her to stop. Getting worked up would help no one. She shot him a grateful smile before continuing. "None of our ideas really stuck. When I asked my kwami, she said I should just tell him to his face."

Remus nodded. "I'd say that's the best bet. Being all extra 'n shit can get misinterpreted pretty easily. Guys like a girl who's straightforward."

"Thanks, Chat." Ladybug breathed out lightly through her nose and gave him a genuine smile.

Chat Noir shot her one of his signature grins and got to his feet, bowing theatrically. "I live to serve. I wish you the best of luck, m'lady. I'd love to stay but I really should be getting home."

"Of course. Do you want me to get you some bread from the bakery before you go? I, um, know the baker's daughter."

"No need," Remus said as he dropped down off the roof. "There's plenty back here."

"Don't you dare eat out of the trash Chat!"

Remus laughed as he pulled the lid off the trash bin in the alley behind the bakery. He looked up at Ladybug, her form standing out against the moon above, and stuck out his tongue. "I'm doing it and you can't stop me!"

"Chat! I swear-"

"See you soon, bugaboo!" Chat called as he launched himself into the air with his staff, a loaf of bread tucked under his arm. He flashed her one last grin over his shoulder before vanishing into the night. "Let me know how things go with this boy of yours!"

* * *

Marinette walked out through the massive front doors of Francoise Dupont High School, leaving her friends behind once they'd given her a few last words of encouragement. She shot them a smile before turning to make her way down the stairs.

Pulled up in front of the school was a long, silver limo. The Agreste's bodyguard, Gorilla, was in the driver's seat while the Agreste twins stood outside. Marinette let out a breath of relief when she realized that she wasn't too late. That breath was cut off abruptly when she realized that they were being held up because they were talking to Chloe Bourgeois. Marinette froze at the sight of her.

Why did Chloe of all people have to be here? Why couldn't it be Kim or Max or Nathaniel? At least with them, Marinette could just ask them politely to leave and they would do it without any huss or fuss. Chloe would make a scene. Or worse, insist on staying through whatever happened next. Marinette shuddered at the thought.

Both Chloe and Remus standing right next to him. How could she talk to Roman with the two of them right beside him? She knew she should just quit while she was ahead and turn back now. She started to turn away when she felt Tikki rustling in her bag. She paused and opened it up to look at the ladybug kwami. Tikki didn't say anything, merely shaking her head. Emotion and pride shined in her blue eyes. No words were needed to convince the girl. One look from Tikki was enough to let her know what she needed to hear.

Marinette steeled herself and marched up to the limo. Remus noticed her first and offered a friendly smile and a wave only to be cut short. He looked confused for a moment and flicked his green eyes between Marinette and Roman. Marinette didn't let the panic rise up and nodded with unwavering confidence. Remus smiled and pointed finger guns in her direction before mouthing "I got you" silently.

"Oh my god! A bird just shit on you Chloe!" Remus screeched, hands covering his mouth dramatically as his eyes went wide with horror.

Chloe shrieked and dropped her phone, hand going to her hair. "What? Is it in my hair?"

"No, it's on your back," Remus told her. He took her by the arm and began leading her away. "Come on, I'll take you to the bathroom to wash it off."

"Oh, but Roman…"

"Roman will be fine without us. Look, Marinette's here. He can talk to her until we get back," Remus said as he pulled Chloe toward the school, winking at Marinette as he passed her. He waved an arm wildly at his brother. "See you in a few, bro! Don't say anything to Mari that I wouldn't!"

Roman looked confused as Remus suddenly picked up Chloe and ran into the quad through the school's doors, the girl screaming to be put down. Roman exchanged a glance with Marinette and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Do you have any idea what that was about?"

"Nope," Marinette lied with a shrug.

"Me neither," Roman said, chuckling softly. His eyes flickered down to the ground briefly before falling on Marinette. For what felt like the millionth time, time stopped for Marinette. Internally, she swooned. Gosh, his eyes were so beautiful. And that face… Oh, he was smiling at her. Why couldn't this moment last forever?

"So…" the two said in unison, breaking off when they realized the other was speaking. Marinette blushed and looked away as butterflies began fluttering in her stomach. Now that she was here, the nerves were coming back. But she hadn't started stuttering yet so maybe she had a chance of doing this right.

"You go first," Roman offered, taking a few steps so he was closer to the teenage girl. He was taller than her, having to look down to face her. Marinette blinked up at him a few times, caught up in studying his stunning features, before her brain caught up and she began scrambling for words.

"What? No, um… You go right ahead!"

Roman's hand went to the back of his head again, a nervous habit that he shared with his friend Nino. "I was just going to ask if you came here to talk to me about something."

"Um, yes actually," Marinette told him. She began to play with her fingers nervously. She opened her mouth to keep talking but the words died in her throat and she looked away.

"What is it?" Roman asked. He ducked down a bit, trying to catch her eye. Friendliness lingered on his face which made her feel a bit better. "You know you can tell me anything, Marinette."

"I… I like you, Roman!" Marinette exclaimed, forcing all the words out at once before she could chicken out. "I have for a long time but I never had the courage until now. You're so… you and I'm just me and I was scared to tell you how I feel in case it messed up our friendship or you hated me or something and- Gosh, I'm rambling. I just wanted to ask you if-"

Roman took her hand, silencing her. Marinette's blue eyes met his brown ones. For a few moments, the two were quiet. Marinette stared into his eyes, hoping to find an answer in them but she found nothing. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for Roman to say something.

"Um, I'm flattered you like me. Really," Roman started and Marinette felt her stomach drop. "I really like you too, Marinette, but not like that. I, um… yeah. I'm actually seeing someone."

"Oh. Oh! I'm sorry Roman! This was so silly of me. Just forget I said anyth- Is it Chloe? Or Kagami? Do I know her?"

Roman had a guilty look in his eyes as he scratched the back of his neck once more. "No. It's someone I used to take piano lessons with. And Chinese class."

"What's her name?"

"Um… His name is Virgil."

"His? Oh. Oh! That… actually makes a lot of sense."

Roman chuckled. "I thought it was kind of obvious. You know how much I love theater."

"And Disney."

"And singing."

"And rainbows."

"Really, that last one alone should've been a dead giveaway," Roman laughed. Marinette soon joined him and Roman seemed to relax. "So… We're good?"

"Only if you let me meet your boyfriend sometime," Marinette teased, folding her hands behind her back.

Roman smiled. "Of course. Hey, I'm sorry about this Marinette. If you want me to set you up with Remus…"

Marinette waved him off. "No, I'm not going to date your twin just because he looks like you, Roman. You think I'm just a silly little schoolgirl crushing on the cute, popular model?"

Roman spluttered for a few seconds while Marinette laughed. Roman soon joined her, having to wipe away tears from laughing so hard. "Wow. I was not expecting you to say that."

"I'm full of surprises."

"Me too," Roman responded, flashing a smile. His gaze shifted behind her and Marinette turned to see Remus and Chloe coming back, the latter chewing out the former. When Marinette turned back around, Roman's arms were outstretched in an offer for a hug. "Friends?"

"Friends," Marinette agreed, accepting the hug.

"Hey! You get away from Romi-kinz, Dupain-Cheng!" Chloe screeched, stomping up to the two and tearing the girl away from the model. She threw herself into his embrace, wrapping her arms around Roman's torso and burying her face into his chest. "Your brother's awful!"

Remus made fake offeded noises. "I really thought there was bird poop on you, Chloe!"

"But there wasn't and now my blouse is all wet in the back from you splashing me!"

Remus and Chloe continued to bicker and Marinette took her leave, withdrawing from the group without another word. She looked down at the sidewalk as emotion welled up in her throat and tears formed at the corners of her eyes. She walked back into the school where her friends were waiting, worried and sympathetic looks locked on their faces.

"Mari…" Ayla started, pulling Marinette into a hug.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," Marinette whispered as Ayla pulled her closer, tears leaking from her eyes and staining her shirt. "Oh my god, somehow he just got hotter."

"I don't think that's the correct response to being turned down," Alix spoke up as she put a hand on Marinette's shoulder. "You sure you're okay?"

Marinette lifted her face from its hiding place and looked at her friend with a watery smile, wiping away the tears that had fallen. "Roman's gay. He has a boyfriend."

"Oh. That… explains so much."

"I know, right?"

"That doesn't mean you have to be okay," Rose told her, her hand joining Alix's on her shoulder. "You can be sad if you need to."

Marinette kept wiping her face. "Really, it's fine. There will be others."

Mylene smiled. "That's the spirit, Marinette."

"We'll be here if you need us though," Juleka added.

Marinette sighed as the group enveloped her in a hug. "Thanks, girls. Right now, you're all I need."

* * *

"So what'd Mari want to talk to you about?" Remus asked as he threw himself down on his brother's bed, Plagg close behind. Roman shot them a disgusted glance. He looked like he wanted to protest but shook his head and decided it wasn't worth it.

"She… She likes me," Roman said as he set down his school bag and took a seat in the chair beside his desk. Completely giving up on any form of proper posture, he slid down and lazily parted his legs, letting his arms go limp and dangle beside him. It looked very comfortable though in reality it really wasn't. "In a romantic sense, I mean. Not a friendway. Well, we're friends still but… yeah. She's into me."

"Oh yeah. Everyone knows that."

"Wait, what?" Roman sat up sharply, staring at his twin. "Why didn't you tell me? It was so awkward! I could've gotten prepared."

"Because you, sir," Remus said, rolling over onto his stomach so he was facing his brother, "are a gay disaster."

"That's an understatement," Plagg snorted. He floated up and spun around a few times before snuggling back into Roman's blankets.

"Hey, if you two are going to be in my room, you've gotta keep the snark down," Roman said, scowling with annoyance. "But seriously, you guys knew?"

"Like I said, literally every single person at the school knows," Remus responded. He shifted on the bed a bit, flipping onto his back and letting his head loll off the edge of the mattress. "I'm honestly kind of surprised that no one told you."

"That's what you're for. You need to do your job as brother better, Dukey."

Remus snorted and rolled his eyes. "Excuse you. I'm a fantastic brother. Back me up here, Plagg."

"Hmm?" Plagg wasn't paying attention to the brothers' conversation in the slightest, caught up in watching a reflection on the window. "Cheese?"

Remus laughed softly. "Not everything is about cheese, Plagg."

Plagg turned around and gave him a dead serious stare. "You take that back."

Remus picked the kwami up and deposited him on his chest, scratching his head. "You know I love cheese."

"Promise?"

"Yes," Remus sighed. "Why would I lie about that? How could I lie about that? Cheese is the food of the gods."

"You two are a match made in heaven," Roman said sarcastically. "But Remus, do you think everything between me and Marinette will be alright?"

Remus shrugged. "Mari's a tough girl… She really liked you though. Maybe give it some time. I can text Nino if you want. I'm sure Ayla's keeping him updated."

"I can do it," Roman told him, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "But maybe Chat Noir should hit the streets?"

"Hmm? Why? Oh. You think Marinette was that upset?"

"I don't know," Roman answered truthfully with a shrug. He began tapping away at his phone. "I just know that she's probably hurting and Hawk Moth hasn't made a move in awhile. This could be his chance."

Remus sighed and sat up, his mess of auburn hair falling over his eyes. "You might be right. I'll head out. Come on, Plagg."

"Aww. Do we have to?" Plagg whined, poking his head out of a crevasse Roman's sheets. "I was just getting comfy."

"We can nap when we get back. Plagg, claws out!"

* * *

"Tikki, spots on!"

A brilliant flash of red filled the room and within moments, the red clad heroine stood on her roof, crouched with yo-yo in hand. Just as she prepared to dive off the building, a thud sounded behind her. She turned to see a familiar, dark form standing behind her. "Hey bugaboo!"

"Chat Noir?" Ladybug exclaimed. Panic pounded in her chest. What was Chat Noir doing at her bakery? Last night, she could blame it on a fluke but twice in two days was too much to be a coincidence. She cleared her throat and tried to regain her composure. "What brings you here? Kitty finally going to buy some bread like a normal person?"

"Nope!" Chat Noir said as he waltzed a few steps closer. "A little birdy told me that a certain girly living in this fine establishment may be having a hard time. We don't want any akumas coming her way, now do we?"

Ladybug frowned slightly. Where had Chat heard that? At least he didn't seem to be catching onto her secret identity. "Oh, um, yeah. I was just checking on her myself. She's asleep, by the way, so no need to go into her room or anything."

Chat Noir placed a hand on his chest and gaped at her dramatically. "Me? Break into an unassuming girl's room? What kind of cat do you take me for, bugaboo? I promise you this kitten's no creeper."

"No. Just a sneaky one," Ladybug giggled.

"Well, can't argue with that," Chat responded with a grin. He took a step back. "Well, since everything seems to be fine, I really should be getting h-"

"Wait!" Ladybug called before she could stop herself. Chat paused, tilting his head curiously. Ladybug's mind scrambled for something to say. "Do you want to go on patrol? I know it's still daylight but it feels like we haven't done it in awhile."

Chat twirled his staff back around and nodded. "I'm not doing anything. Hey, how did everything work out with your boy?"

"Oh, um… It's not happening. He's seeing someone else."

"Oh. That's too bad."

"It's fine. We're still friends."

"It's okay to be bummed," Chat pointed out, putting his hands on his hips.

"I know," Ladybug sighed. "I don't really want to think about it right now. Can we just get started?"

"Whatever you want, m'lady," Chat responded graciously.

"Thanks, Chat."

* * *

"- and then Plagg just starts gnawing on his sheets," Chat laughed wholeheartedly. "He calls it revenge chewing."

"You really need to get your kwami under control," Ladybug said with a roll of her eyes.

The pair had been swinging above Paris's skyline for around an hour and Remus was doing his best to keep Ladybug talking. Every once in awhile, he caught a sad glint in her eyes and he couldn't have that now, could he? He was far from a gentleman but it would be a crime to let his lady be alone in her sadness right now.

"Plagg? Nah, he's the best," Chat responded, waving her off as he used his staff to propel himself forward once again. Briefly, he longed to have a yo-yo like Ladybug. While he loved his staff in battle, it took more concentration than his liking to keep himself in the air when rushing over the rooftops like this.

"He eats your brother's sheets. How do you even explain that?"

"He knows what Plagg is like," Remus responded dismissively with a flick of his wrist. That got a reaction out of Ladybug.

"He knows your Chat Noir?"

Chat nodded. "He's my brother. I can't keep anything from him. Besides, Plagg likes him."

Ladybug looked troubled. "Isn't sharing your secret identity… I don't know, dangerous?"

Chat cocked his head and blinked at her. "Don't tell me you've never told someone who you are. Wait… you haven't? Bugaboo!"

"Why are you acting like I did something wrong? Master Fu and our kwamis told us that a Miraculous holder has to keep their identity a secret."

"Yeah but…" Remus trailed off. He didn't know how to articulate his thoughts. Not having someone know… It just felt so wrong. Roman was at his side from day one and not having his support when it came to being Chat Noir felt impossible. He didn't know what he'd do without his brother. "Isn't having confidant important too?"

"I guess," Ladybug murmured. Remus frowned and started to respond when Ladybug stopped, landing on a rooftop, and pointed up ahead. "What is that?"

Chat landed beside her, pulling in his staff, and followed her gaze toward the horizon. At first, he didn't quite catch what the other hero was talking about until the dark mass in the distance began growing. "A cloud maybe?"

Ladybug didn't spare him a glance, eyes remaining trained on the dark shape. "Just one? That doesn't look natural. Do you think Stormy Weather is back?"

"I heard she's out of Paris for the month," Remus told her, "but I do think you're right about it being an akuma's work. Shall we?"

Ladybug gave a short nod and swung off the rooftop with Chat close behind. Neither said a word, both heroes trying to figure out what they were seeing. As Remus described, the shape in the sky resembled a dark, thick stormcloud. If it wasn't the only one in the sky, he would've passed it off as unusual weather. The rest of the sky was still as light as ever, white clouds drifting lazily over the city. This one was far more… menacing. It stood out harshly against the soft blues and fluffy white that filled the rest of the sky.

The cloud suddenly moved and the pair of Parisians stopped in their tracks. They looked around in confusion, searching for their target, and the cloud reappeared in the sky. Not a moment later, it was gone again.

"Definitely an akuma," Chat muttered, pushing his staff back into the ground to pick up the pace the best he could.

"But what is it doing?" Ladybug asked. Each toss of her yo-yo became a bit longer and she soon outpaced Chat Noir. He tried not to let it bother him. It wasn't like they were racing or anything.

"Guess we'll have to find out."

Chat and Ladybug cleared half the city in record time. The cloud was moving constantly but eventually seemed to decide to stop near the Eiffel Tower. That was a relief for the heroes. Unable to fly, most battles with airborne villains needed to happen here.

When the heroes entered the park, Remus immediately noticed there was something wrong with the civilians on the ground. Most of them were running around like ants on a broken trail. Briefly ignoring the unknown figure above, he dropped down to the ground to see if he could figure out what the problem was. The first person Chat recognized was Mr. Ramier, the friendly man who fed the pigeons in the park. He tried to approach him but when he got close to the older man, he tensed up, almost curling in on himself.

"Mr. Ramier?" Remus called out hesitantly, putting a hand forward. He hesitated when the man kept retreating. Chat's eyes flickered upward, finally noticing the purple haze lingering around his head. A quick glance at the sky told him that it was the same color as the akumatized villain's shroud.

"Chat!" Ladybug cried. Chat turned away from Mr. Ramier to see Ladybug grappling with Remus's classmate Kim. Chat absently wondered why the Korean boy was at the park on this fine afternoon. Didn't he usually have swim practice after school? But that wasn't important. The same purple haze danced around his head but unlike Mr. Ramier, Kim's eyes were ablaze with purple energy. And where Mr. Ramier was acting afraid, Kim was reacting violently.

"Don't hurt him!" It didn't look like any of the pedestrians had any control of their actions. Even if the Miraculous Ladybug fixed everything once the battle was over, Remus didn't want to risk any injury coming to his friends.

"Do you remember when we fought Gigantitan?"

"Yeah?" Remus walked up behind Kim and grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him off the other Miraculous wielder. The boy struggled against his grip a bit but quickly turned around and fled. Chat watched him run, slightly confused. No one was acting normal. Not that Chat acted with any rhyme or reason himself. He just expected the villain's influence to make at least a bit of sense.

"Can you help me get everyone under the tower?" Ladybug asked. "If I can use my yo-yo string to trap everyone in there, we can focus on fighting the akuma."

"I don't know if we have enough time," Chat pointed out.

"What d-?"

"I'd listen to your kittycat, if I were you," a foreign voice interrupted. Remus jumped at the sound of it. It was unusually loud, wavering yet bold. The heroes looked up to see a boy dressed in a black cloak standing atop a purple storm cloud that crackled with energy. For a moment, Hawk Moth's insignia flashed over his eyes. "You want their Miraculous, Hawk Moth? This'll be a piece of cake."

The villain raised his arms, revealing a gauntlet on his left hand. It was hard and rugged with a number of knobs sticking out, pointing in various directions. It looked vaguely familiar but Chat couldn't place it so he tried not to dwell on it. The villain ran his right hand over it and pieces of the cloud separated from the platform. They orbited him, catching Chat's curiosity, before launching themselves at the heroes.

Ladybug spun her yo-yo, creating a shield, while Chat swung his staff. Ladybug managed to deflect the projectile but Chat didn't have the same luck. His staff hit the small cloud but merely passed through it and flew into his face.

Chat was faintly aware that Ladybug was calling out his name but his senses were suddenly dull. The world around him became blurry and any and all sounds became far less sharp than they should be. He felt himself sink into the ground but he could barely feel the concrete against his hands and knees. What he could feel, however, was the tightening in his chest. It felt like someone tied a thick rope around him, constricting his breathing.

_"Hey, Remus?"_ Plagg called. When wielder and kwami were bonded like this, they rarely spoke but Plagg never cared much for following the rules. Normally Remus would tell him to hush while he was in battle but the worry was evident in the cat kwami's voice. _"Are you okay?"_

Remus tried to answer but the words were caught in his throat. He gasped, unable to breathe, and let his body go limp. What was happening to him? He'd never felt this way before. Was this the villain's doing? Was this his power? Remus never experienced anything like it. What was he doing to him? It felt like his insides were going to tear him apart.

In the back of his mind, he could hear Ladybug and the villain fighting but he couldn't focus on it enough to tell what was going on or lift a finger to help his partner. All he could focus on was this foreign feeling that seized his body. He didn't know how to describe it. It was like some kind of negative energy was traveling up his limbs and through every muscle in his body, squeezing the life out of him.

_"Remus? Remus!"_ Plagg cried in his mind. _"I need you to breath for me."_

Remus tried his best to follow his kwami's instructions, he really did, but it was just so damn difficult. The more breaths he took, the shorter they grew and the harder it became to take another. They were already short and rapid and trying to change that just seemed to make it worse.

_"Um… Um… Okay. New plan. This is kinda crazy but I need you to use your Cataclysm, okay? The destructive power builds up inside you before you release it so maybe it'll burn out whatever the akuma did to you."_

If he could speak, Remus would've questioned his friend's logic but he couldn't so he just did as he was told and pressed a clawed hand into the cement. "Cataclysm!"

The Cataclysm went off as it always did. Chat Noir had no idea what using Lucky Charm was like but he knew that the ladybug's Power of Creation was nothing like the cat's Power of Destruction. He liked to imagine that Ladybug felt weightless when she used her power. That she was filled with bright, brilliant joy. That she felt like she could take on the world. That it was the opposite of what Remus felt when he used Chat Noir's Cataclysm.

It didn't feel bad by any means. In fact, the rush he got was almost addicting. Sheer, destructive negativity crackled in his bones, his heart becoming void and his body becoming heavy. He loved it. He loved the feeling of it building up around his hand, he loved watching the energy dance around his fingers, he even loved the way it felt when he released it as a Cataclysm. There really was nothing like it.

As the word left his lips, Remus could feel the Miraculous power building up inside him. Dark energy felt like lightning, spreading through his form. Before it even reached his hand, he could feel it eating away at the alien energy in him. He let out a gasp as a wave of relaxation washed over him and let himself go limp in relief. He pressed his palm against the ground, letting his power be released and the stone split under his touch, and began pushing himself up. He knew he couldn't lie still and relish in his newfound tranquility forever though. His lady still needed help.

Chat got to his feet and whipped around in search of Ladybug and their adversary. It seemed most of the civilians had fled or wandered away from the park which was a relief but Chat still had no idea how they were going to combat the villain.

After a bit of searching, he found them clashing on the upper tiers of the Eiffel Tower. Using his staff, he reached their height in no time flat. Wasting no time, he barreled into the villain from behind, knocking him off balance just as he was about to fire another one of his blasts at Ladybug, and gracefully landed on the tower's highest platform beside Ladybug with a cocky smirk. "Miss me, bugaboo?"

"Chat!" Ladybug exclaimed, relief shining in her eyes. "I thought Tempest Tongue got you for good!"

"Tempest Tongue?" Chat Noir repeated as Tempest Tongue plummeted toward the ground. Chat tried not to look over the edge of the tower. He'd slammed into him harder than he'd thought. Whoops. At least he could fly. He'd be fine. Right? "Weird name. Have you figured out what he does?"

"See that cloud? It's like a build up of negative emotions. He can inflict anxiety on people," Ladybug explained. "I haven't been hit by it yet but I'm pretty sure what he did to you triggered an anxiety attack."

"An anxiety attack?" Remus murmured. He'd never experienced one before. He got stressed or worked up sometimes, sure, but he'd never experienced anxiety. He understood what anxiety was, of course, but he had no idea that was what it felt like.

"How did you break free of it anyway?"

Remus held up the hand where his ring was. The glowing pawprint was already down to only four spots left. "I used my Cataclysm. The power build up apparently was enough to burn everything out."

"Then we don't have much time left," Ladybug said. She tossed her yo-yo into the air, letting the end spin on its axis. "Lucky Charm!"

Lights flashed and a small object dropped into Ladybug's hands. She stared at it for a few seconds, trying to figure out what it was, before giving up and handing it over to Remus. It took him a bit to figure it out as well but he recognized it soon enough. "It's a fidget cube… Hey, that's where his akuma must be!"

"What?"

"Tempest Tongue is going to rise up any second now. I'm going to distract him so when you get the chance, I need you to bind his hands together with your yo-yo string, alright?"

"I fell all the way to the bottom!" Tempest Tongue screeched before Ladybug could respond, voice deep and echoing, as he flew back up to their level atop the tower. The cloud under his feet was sparking with angry, violet lighting and it took everything Remus had to keep himself from taking a step back. "You're going to pay for that!"

That was his que. Being the Miraculous wielder of destruction meant more than destroying things. Channeling his inner chaotic energy, Chat Noir ran at Tempest Tongue, waving the fidget cube in the air wildly. "Look at the buttons!"

Tempest Tongue's scowl faded, replaced with childish curiosity. "Buttons? Ooh, I like the ones with the buttons."

"Samesies. My bro finds it annoying when I mess with them though. Personally, I like the ones with joysticks more," Chat said, trying his best to avoid eyeing the contraption latched onto Tempest Tongue's wrist. Objects often changed with the akumatized victim. That thing was probably a fidget cube at some point too. Gosh, Remus hoped that Hawk Moth hadn't preyed on some poor kid suffering an anxiety attack. That would be a whole new low, even for him.

Tempest Tongue's hand drifted to his wrist, eyes becoming glossy and distracted for a moment. Ladybug began edging out of his line of sight. She and Chat's eyes locked for the briefest of moments and Chat took a step forward, trying to get their akumatized foe to focus on him alone.

"Hey, Tempest Tongue," Chat called. Tempest Tongue looked up at the sound of his name. "Catch!"

Tempest Tongue looked surprised and his hands went up on instinct. Chat smirked. He could practically hear Hawk Moth screaming in rage. Why hadn't they ever tried a plan like this before? It was simple yet genius.

The cube flew through the air toward Tempest Tongue's outstretched fingers. Ladybug reacted quickly, hurling her yo-yo toward the villain. Tempest Tongue's eyes went wide when he realized his mistake but he couldn't move fast enough. The yo-yo string tangled around his wrists, binding them together and sealing his fingers around the toy.

Tempest Tongue whipped around, lip peeling back as a short hiss escaped his lips. He yanked hard on the string, pulling Ladybug off her feet. She yelped and stumbled forward, giving Tempest Tongue the chance to land a hard blow on her shoulder with his bound hands. Chat sprang into action, pulling Ladybug away to safety and raising his staff to meet Tempest Tongue's strikes. Without full use of his hands, they weren't exactly coordinated but any one of Hawk Moth's champions had more than enough strength to fight with restricted powers.

Unable to reach his controller, the cloud platform was useless and Tempest Tongue knew it. He jumped off the platform and lunged at Chat Noir, trying to take catty hero down with him, but Chat wasn't about to make the same mistake as Ladybug. He jumped back and managed to avoid getting hurt. Tempest Tongue landed in a clumsy way rare for akumatized villains but he seemed unfazed and picked himself back up in a heartbeat.

Both Ladybug and Chat Noir shifted into battle stances, slowly circling their foe, waiting for him to make a move. Chat Noir's ring blinked and beeped. He frowned and ignored it. He still had a few minutes left before he changed back and with Tempest Tongue unable to his his abilities, he knew this shouldn't take long.

Unfortunately, Ladybug's yo-yo was still wrapped around Tempest Tongue's wrists but there wasn't much they could do rearm her at the moment. One shot to the device on the villain's wrist should end this. Chat and Ladybug's eyes met and they shared a nod before rushing forward.

Tempest Tongue didn't stand a chance. When he saw Ladybug run at him, he turned to block her kick only to have Chat land on his back. He made a noise of surprise and frustration and tried to shake him off but Chat clung on. He tried to reach his staff on his belt so he could jab the device on his wrists but Tempest Tongue was moving too much. Ladybug caught onto his problem quickly. She grabbed Tempest Tongue by the arms and rammed him into one of the tower's gurders. Tempest Tongue kept struggling but he was pinned well enough that Chat was able to get a clear shot. Bringing his staff down on the gauntlet, he cracked it cleanly and freed the akuma resting inside.

"It's time to de-evilize!" Ladybug called out, reclaiming her yo-yo and hurling it after the escaping akuma. Chat ignored the purification process, having seen it dozens of times before, and decided to focus on the de-akumatized villain. Usually Ladybug and Chat Noir had some kind of an idea as to who the villain was before defeating him or her but this time, when the fight was already said and done, they still had no idea who they'd been fighting.

Dark smoke whirled around Tempest Tongue and his form shrank into the frame of a teenage boy roughly the same age as Remus. His Hawk Moth-gifted cloak and mask faded away, replaced by a black and purple hoodie and dark eye shadow, and the control device shrank into a fidget cube similar to the one the Lucky Charm produced only fit with joysticks and sliding levers rather than buttons. He must've had some kind of incident involving that if that's where the akuma decided to nest but Chat wasn't worrying about that right now.

"Virgil?" Chat questioned, eyes widening as the boy looked around with confusion.

"Chat Noir? Ladybug?" Virgil glanced between the two. He visibly paled and shoved his hands into his pockets. Remus was almost positive he was already messing with that fidget cube of his. "What am I- wait, how do you know my name?"

"Oh. Um…" Remus's mind scrambled for an excuse. "We've got some mutual aquantines."

"Hmm. We usually both recognize the akumatized villains. I'm surprised you've got friends I don't know about," Ladybug joked before throwing the Lucky Charm into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!"

The Ladybug Miraculous's power spread through the city, fixing any damage done to the streets or the people below. Virgil didn't seem to notice. "I was akumatized."

It was a statement, not a question. Chat nodded, ignoring the blinking of his ring. "Yeah. Can you tell me what happened?"

"I… I had an anxiety attack," Virgil admitted, glancing away. "It was… It was stupid. Forget it."

"No feelings are stupid. Come on, tell me."

"My friends Patton and Logan were arguing. It wasn't heated or anything but I just got overwhelmed and I don't think either of them noticed. I had kind of a rough day and I guess that was my breaking point. I ran out on them and that made it worse," Virgil explained quietly. His eyes met Chat Noir's. "What'd I do while I was...?"

"You didn't do anything. You're not your villain," Chat reminded. "But seriously, Tempest Tongue barely did anything and we managed to de-evilize him pretty quickly so don't stress over it, you emo nightmare."

"Do you want us to take you somewhere?" Ladybug offered once the city finished restoring itself. There was little damage to start with but it looked like she and Tempest Tongue had knocked over some streetlights while Chat was out, not to mention the cracks in the ground from Chat Noir's Cataclysm.

Silently, Virgil nodded.

"I can take him to our, um, mutual acquaintance's place," Chat offered. His ring beeped. "...Once I recharge."

* * *

Ladybug swung in silence alongside Chat Noir. The feline hero was holding the boy they'd met on his back and maneuvering Paris's streets without any sense of misdirection. It felt like he knew exactly where he was going.

In all honesty, Ladybug was incredibly surprised that Chat Noir knew this Virgil kid. In the past, all the teenagers that were akumatized were students at Marinette's high school or at least an acquaintance of Marinette. After a few months of coincidences, Ladybug was starting to wonder if Ladybug and Chat Noir knew each other out of mask. Chat always seemed to recognize the akumatized victims whenever Ladybug did.

Chat seemed pretty comfortable around the newcomer which only furthered Ladybug's curiosity. Until now, she'd thought she had him somewhat figured out. She had no idea who this guy was. Did that mean there was a whole different side to Chat's life she was unaware of? She knew she shouldn't be mulling over it so much but she couldn't help wondering. She still had no intention of breaking the secret identity rule yet today's events, no matter how minor, intrigued her.

"We're here," Chat announced unceremoniously, coming to a stop.

Ladybug shook her head to snap out of her thoughts. She didn't recognize where they were for a few moments but eventually the scenery began to ring with familiarity. "Is this… Are we behind the Agrestes' mansion?"

Chat nodded and hopped over the fence casually. "Yeah. I'm just going to drop Virgil here off with Roman and then we can get back on patrol, alright?"

Ladybug spluttered for a moment and chased after him. "You can't just break into Roman Agreste's room!"

"Watch me," Chat said, shooting her a cocky grin over his shoulder. He walked up to the lowest window, letting Virgil off his back, and knocked on the side of the house. "Knock knock, fucker! Open up!"

"Chat!" Ladybug shrieked, not sure if she wanted to scold him or hide. She exchanged a glance with Virgil who looked almost as horrified as she was. The terror melted away the moment the window opened and an auburn head peered out.

"Re- uh… Virgil? And Ladybug?" Roman murmured, brown eyes wide and confused. Ladybug knew it was the last thing she should be doing right now but she swore she could feel her heart soften at the sight of him. Why did he have to be so attractive? It was so not fair that he was gay. Maybe he was bi… No. She couldn't think like that. He had a boyfriend and he was happy that way. She wouldn't dream of interfering. Wait, didn't Roman say his boyfriend's name was Virgil? Was the boy Chat carried through the city Roman's boyfriend the entire time? How hadn't she made the connection until now?

Chat grabbed Virgil and shoveled him through the open window, making the purple haired boy yelp in surprise. "Your boyfriend had a panic attack and got akumatized. He could use you right now. Hit me up when he's ready to go home, alright? We don't want your old man or the Dragon Wit- sorry- Nathalie finding out you've got someone over, now do we?"

"No, we don't," Roman responded softly. He helped Virgil off the floor and pulled him into a tight embrace. Virgil smiled and returned it. Ladybug felt her heart crack a bit. Not that anyone noticed. She looked away, tuning out whatever words the three boys were exchanging until Chat told her it was time to go.

"Bugaboo?" Chat questioned once they were over the fence.

"Hmm?" Ladybug's blue eyes met his green ones and she realized that Chat's emerald eyes were glimmering with worry. She quickly averted his gaze. She didn't want him worrying about her. Especially not right now. She was fine.

"Are you alright? If you were affected by Tempest Tongue's powers, it should've worn off with the Miraculous Ladybug," Chat said as they headed back into the main part of the city. "Is something bothering you."

"It's nothing," Ladybug sighed. "It's stupid."

"Did you not hear what I told V? No feelings are stupid," Chat told her. He changed his path a bit, trying to catch her eye. "Now come on, tell me. You know if you don't, I'll just annoy you until you do."

"Fine," Ladybug sighed with a roll of her eyes. "You remember how I told you there was a boy? And that I was going to tell him how I felt? And that it didn't work out? Well, that boy was Roman Agreste. And Virgil was why it didn't work out."

"Oh. Oh! Oh my god! Holy shit!"

Ladybug nearly dropped her yo-yo at Chat's reaction. Chat, however, did manage to drop his staff. He landed semi-gracefully on the nearest rooftop and watched her with wide eyes. Ladybug was almost too startled to drop down beside him. "Chat? Chat, what's wrong?"

"You're Marinette," Chat whispered, shock etched on his face.

Ladybug paled. "What? No! T-That's silly. You mean that girl who's friends with that reporter who runs the LadyBlog? Come on, Chaton. Don't be ridiculous."

"You're a terrible liar, Marinette," Chat muttered fondly with a shake of his head. His eyes widened a moment later. "Wait, I was the one who gave you advice on how to tell him how you felt. Shit! And I totally gave you the opportunity to do it when you were approaching it. I'm such a dumbass. I wouldn't have done if I'd known. I'm so sorry, Marinette. "

"W-What are you talking about, Chat?" Marinette asked, completely confused. There was no way Chat could've have known and unless… "Wait, you were there? Were you following me?"

"No! I promise there's a good explanation for this," Chat told her. He straightened and close his eyes. "Plagg, claws in."

"What? Don't change back in front of me!" Marinette cried, covering her eyes. She heard the sound of the Miraculous wielder returning to his natural state but didn't watch. After a few moments, she felt a fingers wrap around her hands and gently pull them away from her eyes but she still refused to open them.

"Look at me," a soft voice commanded. "I know your identity so it's only fair you know mine."

"It doesn't work that way," Marinette murmured back.

"Hi there. Can you detransform so I can say hi to Tikki?" a catty voice asked. "It's been forever since I've seen her!"

"That's my kwami, Plagg," Chat Noir explained though the information was not needed. "Ignore him. He's kind of a jerk."

"Hey!"

"Do we know each other?" Marinette asked. She swallowed. "Our secret identities, I mean."

"No, I'm just some random bum who knows your name and happens to hang around Roman and Virgil a lot," Chat responded sarcastically. Marinette almost laughed. She could picture Chat Noir snorting and rolling his eyes. Only he wasn't Chat Noir right now. He was whoever he was when he took his mask off and she had no idea who that person was. "You don't need to open your eyes if you don't want to."

Marinette inhaled deeply. She was suddenly very aware that Chat was still holding her hands but she didn't want to pull away quite yet. "No, I do. Tikki, spots off."

Red light danced around her as the transformation faded and the kwami returned to her side. Slowly, Marinette opened her eyes and came face to face with the last person she expected to see.

"Remus?! Remus Agreste?"

Remus laughed and let go of her hands. "Surprised?"

Marinette spluttered for a few moments. Remus Agreste was Chat Noir? The annoying yet charming boy in her class? Brother of Roman Agreste? Son of Gabriel Agreste? "How?"

"How did I become Chat Noir? Same way you became Ladybug, I assume."

"No, I mean how are you a hero? You literally threw trash at Ayla last week!"

"Well, excuse me. She was kind of being a bitch that day. And I apologized so you were supposed to forget that happened."

"People don't forget that easily. She's still mad at you. Seriously, how are you Chat Noir?"

"Who'd you think I was?"

"I don't know! If I didn't know better, I'd probably say Roman. Or… Or…."

"I may have let Roman use the ring once or twice," Plagg piped up. He was hovering a few feet away, circling Tikki. Tikki looked… tired. Happy to see him but already exhausted by his antics. "Don't really like him as much as Remus though."

"You weren't supposed to tell anyone about that," Remus hissed. He looked back at Marinette. "But really, do I really not seem like the hero type?"

"Honestly? Not really," Marinette responded. "You're kinda… um…"

"Crazy? Wild? Demented? Random? Insane?"

"I was going to say unpredictable but yes. All of the above," Marinette said, tone light with amusement. She smiled and took his hands once more. "But I'm glad it's you."

Remus matched her smile and relaxed in her grip, squeezing back gently in a friendly gesture. "And I'm glad you're Ladybug, m'lady."

* * *

**Author's Note: **This is a oneshot because I have a million ideas I want to write now that I've started writing for Sanders Sides. I'll probably do a full story-length crossover for Sanders Sides and Miraculous eventually in a different setting but if you liked this world, let me know and I may expand on it.


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